Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-07-08
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
He Characterizes the Fuss Made AbOut
the Return Of the Flags as
Tempest in Teapot.
ImpOrtanc--Their Return Would be
Sign of Restored Fraternity.

BALTIMORE, Mp, July The Sun has
the following letter from Jefferson Davis,
in reference to the return Of the southern
battle fsgs: "If the object now be to
unite the people Of the north sud south SIS
brethren in the Union, as 9 means 20
that end, every sign OF past confic.
should, IS far as practicable, be obIiter-
ated. To retain SIS point of pride flag
captured in battle by either Union or
Confederate soldiers would be equivalent
20 renewed triumph by the one or the
other, anG surely not 8 step toward the
restoration OF peace. Flags captured
from foreign enemy mSy De retained as
trophies after peace, but there the Cessa-
ton of hOstilitieS is not pretended TO be
equivalent to determination. hSve heard
OF YsriOuS instances u which southern
s"Ildisrs having retained flags captured
in battle did, after the wer, sem
them back TO the organization from
where they were captured, and / hsve
heard Of no instances where such trophies
have been displayed 81 3 reunion Of south
eTn soldiers to manifest their success in
battle over their northern brethren. Ou-
men fought for principle scd that they
have not surrendered, but are hopeless.
They haye lived to see the good sense Of
the northern men revert to the teachings
Of their siTeS and the re-establishmeGt OF
the government according 10 the cOEstltU-
ton on which it was founded. That s
the only victory which would be to them
and their children thing TO be pTiZet
and glOTited. When the Confederate GOV
eminent evacuated Richmond many flags
captured IN battle were deposited in tie
war Office in Richmond. 50 lar as know
they we're a.. left there AMI
found by the United States troops
when they entered the city. Tlis would
sE{east hsye exhibited proof Of the fac
that the south did not wish to treasure
UD such evidences Of any triUmphs it ever
had over the north. When Washington
received the surrender OF CORVALLIS he
requested the British COlOrs TO be de-
IIVeTed to him IN case the United State
government presented these flags to Gen
eraI Washington, and ne left them e.
George Washington Parker Curtis, v
whom they were entrusted 10 me when Z
was Secretary OF War and lett in the ws-
office Washington. Though these Wc-e
foreign flags ana signs OF > very mem
Orable occasion, the United States gov
eminent did not deem them Of SUi.icisC.
Importance 20 be exhibited IS trophies
of victory over q former enemy,
but presented them 10 the sol
dier TO whom they had been
The south has manifesto
no desire to have possession Of the tags
lost in battle. Their value departed
when they were surrendered, snd the q.
which has been created over the
TO return both TO the nCc.l
and the south the flags they had lost IL
battle seems very like . tempest in q tes-
pot. Whether they should lie and BE
consumed by moths in boxes Of tle
United States War office, or be returned
to their former owners, mas but one e-t-
ment Of value, which is that the TestCrl-
ton would DE 8 declaration such as t1ei
old Romans made, that there should b.
no tTiumphs for victory won by civil Wa-.
So far as it should express the feeling Of
restored fraternity i. would be 81 81
vance towards that condition when ST.
men will recognize as desirable
among those who are 10 live together